1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel automatic water feed method in lavatory using an artificial retina sensor and a novel automatic water feed mechanism in lavatory using the artificial retina sensor, being configured to feed water automatically in a lavatory such as flush urinal and hand washer by means of an artificial retina sensor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 29 shows a conventional hand washer 602 for feeding water automatically by using a light reflection system. In FIG. 29, a sensor unit 603 comprises light emitting means (not shown) for emitting light L1 such as infrared ray or near infrared ray toward the user U, and light receiving means (not shown) for receiving reflected light L2 coming from the user U. When the reflected light L2 is received, water is supplied from a discharge pipe 602a installed on a mounting plane 601 of a basin 600 of the hand washer 602.
However, since the light emitting means is set so that the light L1 may be directed toward a bowl 604, if the bowl 604 is made of stainless steel or other metal of high reflectivity and the bottom is shallow, similar light other than the reflected light L2 may enter the light receiving means, which may cause a wrong detection.
The invention is devised in the light of the above problem, and it is hence an object thereof to detect the user of the lavatory securely.
To achieve the object, the automatic water feed method in lavatory using artificial retina sensor of the invention (a first aspect of the invention) is configured to control the water feed operation of a lavatory such as flush urinal and hand washer by visually recognizing the user of the lavatory by means of an artificial retina sensor.
That is, in the first aspect of the invention, the user of the lavatory can be detected securely by the artificial retina sensor.
A second aspect of the invention presents an automatic water feed method in lavatory using artificial retina sensor, being configured to control the water feed operation of a lavatory such as flush urinal and hand washer by visually recognizing the user of the lavatory by means of an artificial retina sensor, and further to limit the viewing field region of the artificial retina sensor only in the region of water discharge from the lavatory.
That is, in the second aspect of the invention, by setting the viewing field region of the artificial retina sensor so that the input image captured by the artificial retina sensor may not include the region out of reach of water discharged from the lavatory, useless information can be omitted, and therefore the recognition object image (acquired image) obtained by the artificial retina sensor is sharper, the motion of the hands positioned on the water discharge line from the lavatory can be judged accurately, so that malfunction can be prevented securely.
A third aspect of the invention presents an automatic water feed mechanism in lavatory using the artificial retina sensor comprising a lavatory such as flush urinal or hand washer, an artificial retina sensor for visually recognizing the user of the lavatory, and a control unit for controlling water feed operation of the lavatory on the basis of the output from the artificial retina sensor.
A fourth aspect of the invention presents an automatic water feed mechanism in lavatory using the artificial retina sensor comprising a lavatory such as flush urinal or hand washer, an artificial retina sensor for visually recognizing the user of the lavatory, and a control unit for controlling water feed operation of the lavatory on the basis of the output from the artificial retina sensor, in which the viewing field region of the artificial retina sensor is limited to include only the region of water discharge from the lavatory.
In the fourth aspect of the invention, too, by omitting useless information, the recognition object image (acquired image) is sharper, and the motion of the hands positioned on the water discharge line can be judged accurately. As a result, malfunction can be prevented.
A fifth aspect of the invention presents an automatic water feed method in lavatory using the artificial retina sensor comprising a lavatory such as flush urinal or hand washer, an artificial retina sensor for visually recognizing the user of the lavatory, and a control unit for controlling water feed operation of the lavatory on the basis of the output from the artificial retina sensor, in which a plurality of artificial retina sensors are provided in order to recognize the user visually together with a perspective sense.
A sixth aspect of the invention presents an automatic water feed mechanism in lavatory using the artificial retina sensor comprising a lavatory such as flush urinal or hand washer, an artificial retina sensor for visually recognizing the user of the lavatory, and a control unit for controlling water feed operation of the lavatory on the basis of the output from the artificial retina sensor, in which a plurality of artificial retina sensors are provided in order to recognize the user visually together with a perspective sense.